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Patient blood management (PBM) is becoming a household term in the field of medicine. Case in point: the most recent National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey Report has dedicated a full chapter to PBM.1 Anesthesiologists continue to lead this journey, and ASA is front and center.

In July 2011, recognizing the significant risks of transfusions, wide variability and deficiencies in transfusion practices, changing patterns of demand for blood and documented success of PBM programs, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability made the following recommendations to the Assistant Secretary of Health, Howard Koh:2